Note: Stanford University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Research & Education Institute is a fantastic resource for the work of Dr. King. Check them out here.

Required Readings for the Kingian Nonviolence Introduction Workshop

A Pilgrimage to Nonviolence
In this essay originally published in “A Stride Towards Freedom,” Dr. King describes the path he took to arrive at his understanding of nonviolence, and provides an overview of his thinking on nonviolence, the role of the Church, pacifism, capitalism & communism, and more.

Letter From a Birmingham Jail
Written on the margins of newspapers from a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama, this is perhaps Dr. King’s most well known piece of writing. This was written as a response to this letter he received from eight clergyman criticizing him for his actions.

Drum Major Instinct
In this sermon, King talks leadership and greatness, and encourages people to cultivate the desire to be a great servant of love. Two months before his assassination, he also discusses what he would like said at his own funeral. Listen to the audio here.

I Have A Dream
His most famous speech, delivered at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Ironically, the “I have a dream” portion of the speech was not in the original speech, and was improvised on the spot. Watch the video here and read more background information about the speech here.

I’ve Been to the Mountaintop
The last speech Dr. King gave in public, the night before his assassination. In what is almost a prophetic speech, he says that he would like to live a long life like anybody else, but that he is no longer concerned with that because he has been to the mountaintop and “seen the Promised Land.” Listen to the full audio here, and watch the last few minutes on video here.

Rediscovering Lost Values
Given in 1954, this is his first known recorded sermon. In it, he speaks about the importance of going back to our spiritual roots and reminding ourselves of what matters most. Listen to the audio here.

When Peace Becomes Obnoxious
A sermon discussing the difference between “negative” and “positive” peace, where Dr. King preaches that peace is not merely the absence of violence, but the presence of justice.

Where Do We Go From Here?
In an address to the SCLC annual convention, King explains that “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best, power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” Listen to part of the speech (the best part) here.

Collections of Dr. King’s Speeches, Sermons and Writings*

The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1991 – )
Edited by Clayborne Carson of the Martin Luther King Research & Education Institute at Stanford University, this six volume archive is the most complete collection of Dr. King’s writings, speeches, sermons, unpublished manuscripts, letters and others.

The Trumpet of Conscience (1968)
At the end of 1967, Dr. King delivered a series of five lectures for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. After his assassination, those five lectures were published in this book.